Means for constructing filter bottoms



May 28', 1946- J. c..THoREs1-:N 2,401,121

MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING A FILTER BOTTOM Filed Dec. 11, 1944 2 sheets-'sheet 1 /0 lNrvVl-:NTOR

ATTORNEY May 28, 1946. Ji THoREsEN 2,401,121

MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING A FILTER BOTTOM INVENTOR I @hm ATTORNEY Patented May 28, k1946 FICE,

MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING FILTER BOTTOMS John C. Thoresen, Warwick, R. I., assgnor to` ,A Builders Iron Foundry, Providence, R. I., a. corporation of Rhode Island e Application December 4 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a means for constructing a lter bottom.

For a number of `years the advantages of the sti-called Wheeler bottom for a filter have been appreciated. yThis bottom consists of a concrete floorlocated ,above Vthe filter box `oor--having a series of pyramidal depressions uniformly spaced `apart throughout the horizontal extent of `the'` lter, with a` hole through the bottom or apex of each depression. 'I'he latter is lled with selected sizes of round porcelain` spheres, and above them are layers of gravel and filter sand. When in use, the water to be filtered is fed into the box above the sand and permitted to drain through the sand, gravel and the depressions in the Wheeler bottom, passing nally through the holes at the apexes into a space below from whence the now clean water is conducted to Wherever it is to be used or stored.

`In due course, as the filtered matter collects on` and partly within the bed, it is necessary to wash it and this is accomplished by forcing Wash Water up through the holes and depressions of the Wheeler bottom and thence through the grave1 and sand. This Wash Water picks up the foreign matter and carries it off through ysuitable troughs provided for that purpose; It is preferred to make the Wheeler bottom of concrete and it has heretofore involved the employment of considerable wood, inthe forms of posts, beams and flooring, together with wedges forattempted leveling, all of which are` below ftheWheeler bottom after the concrete is poured and set. This wood must all be removed andin so doing it is usually rendered unt for re-use and, what is more important, its removal is a diicult procedure 'for workmen who must crawl under the Wheeler bottom to dissemble the temporaryplanking and shoring on which the concrete was poured. Y Y Y It is an object of the present invention to pro- `vide an improved means for constructing a socalled Wheeler bottom vfora lter box. More especially it is an object of the invention to provide elements which can be readily placed in proper position in the lter box, securely held in place during the pouring and setting of the concrete bottom, and then easily removed by a workman outside the 'lter box for subsequent use in the formation of other Wheeler bottoms. 1 The best mode in which it has been contemplated to apply the principles of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings but/thesey are tobe deemed merely illustrative 'for it is intended Athat the patent shall cover by 11,1944, serial No. 567,716

(o1. as isisi- Y suitable expression n'the appended claims what# ever features of patentable novelty exists in the invention disclosed. 1

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a' perspective of a filter box having a Wheeler bottom constructed in accordance with the present invention; e Y

Fig. 2 is a verticalV cross-section taken as on line 2-2 of Fig. l; i f i Fig. 3 is a perspective of a form unit assembly; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a filter box and several form units in various stages of assembly; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation in section as on line 5-5 ofFig.4.

Referring to the `drawings and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2,'there is shown a filter box hav` ing vertical side Walls IIJ and a base I2 formed of concrete. Intermediate of its extent eachside wall is made with off-set portions Ita and Ib izontal shelf I0c which is toV support a Wheeler bottom I4. When the wallsare poured relatively `short horizontal reinforcing rods I6 are 'carefully located and temporarily supported so that their hooked ends IBa will be firmly secured in the wall portions I0a above the shelf I (Ic,V and with theirstraight ends extending into the space of the filter.r l Later, before the Wheeler `bottom is J pouredyotherfrods` II are `wired to the straight -ends-of the rods IB, so as to extend acrossz the form and be embedded in the concrete. Other L-shapedI rods I8 are likewise positioned and temporarily supported so that their vertical legs will `be embedded'in the Iwall portion IDb `below the shelf IUc with their horizontal legs projecting inward in direction away from the upper portion "Illa of the side wall. After the concrete `of the side walls is set, the temporary supports (not shown) for thehorizontal are removed.l

The Wheeler bottom is a concrete oor I4 constructed within the filter box with the edgesof its bottom resting on the shelf 10c, with its side faces in intimate contact with and usually bonded `to the upper portions I Ila of the side walls, and with its body embracing the various tie rods IE, I1 and I8. AtV predetermined locations in the Wheeler bottom are pyramidal depressions 20 whose inverted apexes `25a are close by the lower surface of the bottom and from which a hole 22 extends through the concrete to the space between the Wheeler bottom and the base I2 of the box. These depressions are usually fitted with porcelain spheres 23 of several sizes 95B so as to prevent any' gravel workingdown ,into

to provide, preferably all around the box, a horand L-shaped tie rods ports or pillars for the Wheeler bottom, but

where there is a greater distance between the side walls, concrete pillars are formedupstandened, the sleeve block and strap are firmly clamped to the plywood section.

In the filter box l0 of Figs. 1 and 2 four form units would -be used, assuming that collectively they would take care o the area between the lower portions |01) of the side walls. If the filter box is of greater size, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, then it is "desirableto provide the pillars 24 of concrete, indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 2, and shown in full lines in Figs. 4 and 5 wherever the pillars are visible. Where these are used a portion of a section 26 is cut out as at 26a (Fig. 4)

to accommodate a pillar, the upper surface of fwhich is desirably formed at a level somewhat ing from the base of the box, as shown Aat 24 in Figs. 4 and 5.

The present invention has to do with an im-V proved method and means for the construction of the Wheeler bottom. The method involves the use-of a temporary form which can be readily removed and reusedfor another bottom. The means comprises a new combination ofelements whereby this method can be effectively practiced.

The means as a whole embraces a number of what are herein termed form units. yEach of these comprises a floor section 26 of wood, preferably ply-wood because it enables the requisite strength to be provided by a somewhat thinner section than does the ordinary integral wood readily available.

Preferably each section 26 is approximately t. wo feet square, embracing an area of four square feet, but these dimensions and thosethatfollow are not to be deemed limiting in any sense but merely illustrative of -a practical embodiment of the invention.' Four holes 28 (see Fig. 5) are bored through the section one foot apart and a half-foot from the edges. To the Vunderside of the section are secured the flanges of metal bushings 35, which extend throughthe holes 28 to the top face of the section 26. Each bushing has a threaded hole through it.

A rod 32, hereinafter called a, jackscrew, ex.-

tends through a bushing 30, and has a smooth surfaced portionA 32a of suicient length to reach from the base l2 up to near what visto bevthe lower surface of the Wheeler bottom, fAt this 32h point the rod is enlarged and'threaded, asiat to engage the threads in the hole of the bushing. j

Near its top end the rod is also threaded, at `32e for a purpose to be presently disclosed.l v-Itsvery top end may be flattedvor squared to accommodate a wrench, but it is also practical to have the threads at 32h on the rod make a rather free engagement with the bushing so that in theas sembly of the structure the rod can be turned by hand.

With the four rods screwed into'the bushings,

and with their portions upstanding above the` section 2t, a porcelain sleeve 34 (see Fig. 3) is slipped down around each rod to rest on the upper surface of the plywood. Thesersleeves or bushings remain in the Wheeler bottom and so are preferably provided with an annular flange;

34a (see Fig. 3) to prevent their displacement in the concrete which subsequently surrounds them.

On each sleeve is rested the apex end 36a of a block 35 shaped like a pyramid. This has ,a central hole through which the rod 32 As will later appear a positioning strap 38 is next slipped onto the rods, and then a distance sleeve or spacer 4D is, dropped upon the strap. Finally a nut 42. is screwedron .the rod lat its upperthreaded end and, when eventually tightf shelf lilcsurrounding the box,

`shown resting on the sleeves.

.a jackscrew, la ring dowel above the contemplated lower surface of the fmished Wheeler bottom. Reinforcing rods 44 extend vertically upward through the pillars from within the concrete of the base l2 and are bent to provide horizontal arms 44a Vto be embedded in the Wheeler bottom at a slightly different level thanv are the tie rods l5 extending between the side walls.

`In Figs. 4 and 5 are illustrated the successive stages or stepsin the assembly of the form. In the lower right hand corner of Fig. 4 is seen a section 26 (the Yreinforcing rods being omitted for clearness of disclosure) with its four upstanding rods 32 threaded into the bushings secured to the lower face of the plywood. By turning these rods the upper surface of the sections 26. can be made level and in alignment with the shelf l0c of the side walls. Since each rod is individually adjustable it is evident that no great care need be exercised in making the floor or base of the filter box either smooth orV level, for its unevenness can be readily'overcomeV by adjusting the rods.

Whenthus leveled at the proper height 'so that the entire top surface-made up ofthe combined surfaces of each vs'ection--is levelwith the thef sleeves "34 are slipped over the rods, as shown in the right half side of the sections making up the second row from the right in Fig. 4. On the left half side of this same row, the pyramid blocks 36 are On some of these bolts 46 which may .be screwed into the upper side of a block for conblocks are alsoshown ring `venience in lowering the block onto the'sleeves and later in lifting it from the concrete.

In the two left hand rows in Fig. 4 there are shown the positioning straps or bars 38 extending in one direction from side wall to side wall, with holes therein at predetermined locations 'to receiveY and position the jackscrews so that the pyramid blocks may be held in place and properly distributed about the filter box. T insure'that the blocks will not inadvertently rotate about 46a passed through a reamed hole in the strap and theninto a reamed hole in the pyramidal form, vthus locking the pyramidal form and strap temporarily together. In the ,uppermostY row of Fig. 4 a similar strap 5U is shown extending between the other sidewalls. These cross straps may be provided at intervals. Above the'straps are slipped the spacers 40 and aboverthese the clamping nuts 42 are applied,

As thus assembled, the form is ready for the concrete and this is poured on'the plywood and around the pyramid blocks up to the level of the top surface of the latter. Thus it'embraces all the tie rods and bonds vwith, theshelf and surface of the upper portion of the filter box. Y Y n When set the form maybe 'readily removed as follows. The nuts 4'2, spacers '40 an'dstraps 38,

50 are rst removed. Then the blocks are lifted out of the concrete leaving the desired depressions terminating in the holes through the embedded sleeves 34 in the bottom. The jackscrews are then turned so that they are fed upward through the sleeves and as the threads 32h turn free from the sleeves the remainder 32a of the jackscrews can then be lifted through the holes.

When the rods are thus withdrawn the sections 26 will usually fall to the base or iioor of the filter box, but in case of any adhesion between a section and the underservice of the concrete it can be broken by simply tapping on the top ends of the jackscrews after they have been turned outward and prior to their threads becoming entirely disengaged from the threads of the bushings 28. The sections 26 can then be reached by a rake or hooked-pole and drawn out from under the Wheeler floor through an access opening 52 (see Fig. 2) in the lower portion of a side wall.

Thus the invention provides for the setting up of a complete form for a Wheeler bottom in a very short time, with ease of adjustment that readily overcomes the unevenness of the lter box oor. Likewise, when the new bottom is set, the form can be quickly dismantled and removed. And the removal of the form sections from under the Wheeler bottom can be accomplished with ease.

I claim:

l. Means for constructing a filter bottom comprising separated floor sections each having a series of vertically disposed jackscrews extending from above the section to a xed base below, internally threaded bushings on each section c0- operating with the jackscrews for adjusting the section to a predetermined level; a form block surrounding a portion of each said jackscrew above a floor section; and means above the block cooperating with the jackscrews to clamp said blocks to the sections.

2. Means for constructing a lter bottom comprising a temporary iioor composed of separate sections, each section having internally threaded holes therethrough, a jackscrew extending vertically from a fixed base and protruding through each hole and having external threads engaging the said hole threads whereby upon rotation of the jackscrew the section may be adjusted to a desired level; a depression making form, resting on said section and having a central hole through which the jackscrew extends; means cooperating with the jackscrew above said depression form to clamp the said form to the section; straps extending across the said forms; and doweling means between the straps and said forms to prevent rotation of the latter; all of said elements and means except the oor sections being subsequently removable from the filter bottom on the upper side thereof, and the floor sections being thereby rendered removable below said bottom.

3. A unit form V,for use in the construction of a filter bottom comprising a oor section having threaded holes therethrough, a jackscrew extending upward from a fixed base and protruding through each hole having external threads engaging the threads of the hole, a sleeve around each said jackscrew, a depression forming block resting on each sleeve having a central hole through which the jackscrew extends and a nut on each jackscrew above each said block; the said jackscrews being removable from the upper side of the filter bottom and the said floor section being removable from the under side of the lter bottom.

JOHN C. THORESEN. 

